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Protecting your gifts

Christmas is all about relaxation, delicious food, spending time with family and treating them to nice gifts. And with the average Irish family having around €500 worth of presents in their home around the Christmas season[1], it’s no wonder we’re told to be extra vigilant for burglars at this time of year.

We’ve put together some simple steps you can take to keep your home and Christmas presents from becoming a target for burglars.

First things first:

Always lock your doors and windows, whether in your house or not. Burglars are extremely opportunistic, so you can’t assume just because you are home that they won’t try an unlocked back door, or open window. As previously mentioned in our home security infographic, a large percentage of burglaries actually take place when people are at home, so keep your doors locked even when you’re in.

Lights and sounds:

It is vital your home appears to be occupied when you are away. Leave a bedroom light on, living room lamp and TV. Leave the volume of the TV on, or put some music on. If you can set a timer so the lights in or around your house come on, do so.

Outdoor sensor lights are a very effective deterrent. A recent study found that 4 out of 10 Irish homes take no extra precautions regarding their home’s security during the Christmas period, despite it being general knowledge that burglaries increase in winter months.[2]

Be discreet:

If you’ve purchased any expensive gifts and there is some packaging from it that you are throwing away, dispose of it discreetly. You’d be surprised how often people forget that leaving the packaging from an xbox or new TV beside their bin for recycling collection is marking their home as a target for robbery. Similarly, if you aren’t at home, do not leave wrapped gifts under your Christmas tree in plain sight.

Insurance:

Make sure you have sufficient contents cover on your insurance plan, in case the unfortunate were to happen. Hang on to receipts of any Christmas gifts you purchase in case you need them as proof of purchase should you be burgled.

At Aviva, we understand the time, effort and money people put into purchasing the perfect gifts for loved ones, so over the month of December we increase your contents cover by 10% as standard. This way we can give you that bit extra peace of mind.

So you’ve battened down the hatches and are planning to take extra precautions for the Christmas period, your final step is giving your home reliable insurance. Check our website for some answers.

Other links

Aviva Direct Ireland Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Car insurance and home insurance are underwritten by Aviva Insurance Limited.
Aviva Insurance Limited, trading as Aviva, is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority in the UK and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules. Registered Branch Office in Ireland No 900175. Registered Branch Address One Park Place, Hatch Street, Dublin 2. Registered in Scotland No 2116. Registered Office Pitheavlis, Perth, PH2 0NH.